Renn, wenn du kannst

I saw this on at Göteborg Film Festival, and had the pleasure to listen to Q&A with the director and his associate, who was the editor and wheelchair coach (I think, I hope, not always clear sound on these things).

I actually came in with small hope of a good film, after watching the trailer on-line. I was thinking a Til Schweiger comedy with no backing at all, with crap actors. I was wrong, and the trailer was wrong.

This film has a subject matter in very good hands, the director, Dietrich Brüggemann, handles his story with skill and ease. Sure, perhaps a bit too many basic film school turns, but done with feeling. There were a few instances when a mean editor could have cut away some fat. Not saying a pro edit is always the way to go.

The acting was first class - but Dieter, there are actors in wheeelchairs, look a bit closer; -.

A film about two men and a girl does not sound remotely interesting, but this one is as one of the men sits in a wheelchair.

For about two years Ben, the guy in the wheelchair, has watched Annika, a music student who cycles to her school. One day he happens to watch an accident: Annika ignores a red traffic light and runs over a man, Christian, who turns out to be Ben's new help.

Ben is quite a pushy person and not easy to like but Christian manages to get along with him well. Then Annika turns up, and they all end up sitting on Ben's balcony watching the wintery city and sky and wish this moment would last forever.

Both Christian and Annika ask Ben what happened to him, ie, what made him end up in a wheelchair, and he tells quite a few stories about it, but they will find out later what really happened.

Annika at first seems in love with Chritian, then with Ben, and you can see how troubling it is for all of them because they really like each other. Nevertheless, the two men get into a fight and Ben gains the upper hand; he manages to watch Annika's concert in which she can play a solo as her roommate has hurt her hand (long story, funnily told in the film - watch out for the Mozart/Beethoven/Goethe or whoever bust!).

Anna Brüggemann, who plays Annika, has written the script, and she and her brother, the director of a film, have a sister who sits in a wheelchair so they really now about the difficulties handicapped people face.

Even though Ben seems both physically and psychologically damaged, there are also some jokes and very funny dialogues. If you want to watch a film which leaves your brain switched on and makes you laugh and think at the same time, you should watch this one.